


You Promised

by Katiebug445



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Angst fic, Angst with a Happy Ending, M/M, MERRY CHRISTMAS HAVE SOME DEATH, canon compliant... kinda, chapter 84 spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-26 00:24:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17131517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katiebug445/pseuds/Katiebug445
Summary: Jean finds out Armin's fate during chapter 84





	You Promised

**Author's Note:**

> Listen... This does not follow the basic function of how Titans work, and I realize that. I however do not care. Things have been changed to fit the story partially because I haven't gotten that far in the manga or the anime, partially because this is my design and I can do what I want. 
> 
> Have a merry Christmas!

He knew something was wrong as soon as he heard the scream. He recognized it almost immediately as belonging to Mikasa, and his heart seized with complete and utter terror. Jean’s breath caught in his throat as he turned his head towards the sound, just in time for a bullet to whiz right by his cheek. He jumped, knowing he needed to get out of there as soon as possible, before he ended up getting himself killed. Jean turned on his heel and took off in the direction of that scream that chilled his blood, his mind going a hundred miles a minute trying to figure out what caused it. 

 

Of course, his first thought was that something happened to Mikasa herself, and Jean knew that if that were the case, he and Eren would have another round. But, he thought, Mikasa was too much of a badass to be taken out by a Titan. He’d seen her work her way out of situations no normal person could come back from again and again. More likely, something happened to Eren himself. Either that, or… 

 

No, Jean didn’t want to think about that. 

 

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a small group of people huddled around something, and once he was a little closer, he recognized the figures standing there. They were in a small circle, all looking down at something and looking distraught. 

 

Oh, no. 

 

“Hey!” He called, getting a couple heads to turn his direction. Sasha and Connie. Good, at least they were okay. The two shared a look, and were on their way over to him, the gap behind them closing up with the remaining spectators. “What’s going on?” 

 

“Jean, stay back!” Sasha said, putting her arms out to stop him. “Don’t go over there.” 

 

“What _ happened _ ?” he said a little forcefully. 

 

Connie glanced back at the crowd, and then to Jean again. “Stay here, man.” He said. “Trust me.” 

 

Figuring he wouldn’t get an answer out of his friends, Jean shoved passed them, his heart pounding in his ears as he made his way up to the others, looking over and around shoulders to see what ended up being a body. A burned, almost unrecognizable body. 

 

Jean’s eyes swept over the small form, his heart constricting painfully in his chest, looking for any sign, any proof that it wasn’t who he was thinking. The height was right, the shape of the chin… What remained of the nose… 

 

No. 

 

“Let me through.” he said weakly, pushing his way through the line of people. Jean could smell burning flesh as his eyes roamed over Armin’s form once again, his mind finally catching up and processing what he was seeing. Armin was dead. Jean swallowed, a barely audible whimper falling from his throat, and was able to take one more step before his legs wobbled, and then gave out completely. 

 

Jean dropped to his knees right in front of Armin, his hands shaking as he raised them, reaching out to the corpse in front of him. There was barely anything left of the smaller boy, all of his soft, blond hair had been burned away, leaving behind it nothing but the smell. His soft, round cheeks had melted away, and there was only the imprint of his nose still left on his face. But it was still Armin. Jean lowered his hands, a shaky breath falling from his mouth, and he swallowed again. “You idiot.” He said, eyes falling to one of the smaller boy’s hands. “You weren’t supposed to die like this.” 

 

Behind him, the crowd began to fan out just a little, giving him just a bit of space. He was vaguely aware of Connie and Sasha’s reappearance, but he couldn’t bring himself to care at the moment. “You promised me, Armin. You fucking promised me you were gonna make it out of this. Do you remember that, asshole? You promised me!” His voice broke as it rose in volume, the first of the tears pooling in his eyes. “You fucking promised!” 

 

Jean curled in on himself, his arms wrapped tightly around his middle as his shoulders shook with his sobs. He couldn’t believe this was real. Armin had always been so careful, and he’d promised, goddammit! He promised Jean before they left that he’d come back safe, that they both would. 

 

So why was he the only one still here? 

 

“Give him some space, guys.” He could hear someone saying, and then footsteps fading away. 

 

“Jean?” 

 

“Are you okay?” 

 

He didn’t know who was asking him, and he didn’t care. Jean couldn’t bring himself to answer anything, because it didn’t matter anymore. Nothing did. Not right now. 

 

Oh, _ God _ . 

 

“Sasha, come on.” 

 

Two more pairs of footsteps fading away, and then they were alone. 

 

The tears kept coming harder faster, and soon, Jean was fighting to breathe. Everything hurt. Nothing made any sense. 

 

Eventually, he finally cried himself out, and Jean was left sitting by the body, numb and broken hearted. “Goddammit, Armin.” He whispered, wiping the last of the tears from his eyes. “If any of us were supposed to go, it was gonna be me.” Finally he reached out, his hand enclosing gently over one of Armin’s, the once soft skin rough and cracked and blackened. In a strange way, Jean was reminded of when he found Marco, laying half-eaten in a street in Trost. Then, Jean had gone into shock. Then, Jean hadn’t cried like this. 

 

Then, Jean still had Armin. 

 

“You know,” He started, slowly unfolding his stiff joints, “you’re the entire reason I kept on after Marco. You gave me a reason to go on, to keep fighting, and just get out of bed in the morning. You were there for me through all of it, and I’m thankful.” A hurt chuckle worked its way out of his mouth, and, much to his surprise, new tears spilled down his cheeks. “As shitty as this world is, and as shitty as being in the Scouts is, I don’t regret any of it. I don’t regret meeting you.” 

 

Jean paused for a moment, his lip quivering, and shot a quick look around to make sure nobody would hear his next words. He took a breath and closed his eyes, hating himself for never taking the chance to tell him while he was still alive, and hating that he’d never get the chance to now. “I love you, Armin. I think I always have. And probably always will.” More tears slipped down his face, and he wiped them away. “How dumb is that? I’m pathetic.” But he knew it was true; He’d already lost his first love to the Titans, and now he’d lost the love of his life to them, too. 

 

And now he had nobody to help him grieve Armin’s passing. 

 

Suddenly, Jean looked up, thinking he heard something on the wind, and squinted against the sun. There was someone coming towards him, running at full speed. 

 

“Wait!” 

 

Jean sat up, realizing after a moment that it was Jaeger and Mikasa and, was that… Captain Levi? Eren kept screaming at him, but Jean wasn’t sure what else he was supposed to do aside from wait. 

 

Finally, the others reached him and Eren immediately dropped to his knees, plunging something into Armin’s arm. What? 

 

Jean sat there, dumbfounded, too exhausted and heartbroken to even make a comment to Eren about interrupting his moment with Armin, and kept his eyes fixed on the spot where the needle had gone in. Slowly, very, very slowly, steam started to rise from Armin’s body, and Jean’s breath once again caught in his throat. 

 

The titan serum. 

 

Gradually, the charred meat on Armin’s body was replaced by new muscle and skin, new hair grew from his head, and his nose regenerated almost within the blink of an eye. A shaky, relieved breath fell from Jean’s mouth, and his stomach felt like it had dropped from his body. 

 

After a moment, his breathing became deep and even once again, and Armin Arlert opened those soft blue eyes once again. A disbelieving laugh worked its way out of Jean’s mouth, and the blond sat up, blinking and looking around at all of them. 

 

Jean managed to restrain himself for a total of five seconds before pulling Armin in and kissing him full on the mouth. After a second of shock, Armin slid his fingers up into Jean’s hair as he returned the kiss. “You’re okay.” Jean whispered once they broke apart. “You’re alive.” He held Armin’s head in his hands, pressing quick kisses across his face. “You’re fucking okay. Your  _ nose  _ is okay.” He couldn’t stop the smile from tugging at his lips before leaning in, pressing a gentle kiss to the tip of Armin’s nose. 

 

“I’m okay.” Armin replied. “I promised I would be.” 

 


End file.
